The Biking Board President

Avid cyclist and Supervisor President David Chiu is committed to putting San Francisco back on the map as a leading bike-friendly city.

Supervisor Chiu on his trusty steed. Photo by Bryan Goebel.

A Busy Schedule, Made Easier with a Bike

David Chiu is a man in need of a clone. The president of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors has as many as 20 commitments a day. But one advantage he has is his bicycling: the 40-year-old Boston native considers bicycling his primary mode of transport, darting between City Hall and his district, from Fisherman’s Wharf and the Financial District to Russian Hill and North Beach.

“I’ve always enjoyed riding since I was a kid, my whole family did,” he says. “When I was in elementary school, I loved exploring the world on a bike. It was faster and just a lot more fun.”

Bicycling is still a practical transportation choice for Chiu. “I often challenge my friends to get from point A to point B more quickly than I can on my bike,” Chiu says. “And it’s easier to park! And frankly, given the pace of my job, it’s a way for me to get a little exercise in the middle of the day and just to breathe.”

Chiu says his personal experience bicycling in the city gives him a solid perspective on the road ahead for San Francisco. Whether it’s his support for car-free Sunday Streets events, the transportation trials on Market Street or the city’s Bike Plan, Chiu stands behind programs and improvements that are helping more people choose bicycling as a form of transportation. His selection as the keynote speaker for tomorrow evening’s Golden Wheel Awards at the War Memorial Building is evidence of his respect for those who are encouraging more people to bicycle in the city.

In discussing the future of San Francisco’s bicycling-related improvements, Chiu says it’s important to remember what the city was like just 10 years ago for cyclists.

“When I first started riding in SF, it was often scary,” he says. “Ten to 12 years ago, I don’t think cars were as used to riders and cyclists and it definitely took a little getting used to. It was often a bit lonelier than it is today as a cyclist. Thanks to the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition and the biking movement, we have a lot more folks bicycling. That makes it safer and more interesting for everybody.”